LED lamps and LED driver circuits for the same

Abstract

LED lamp has LEDs aimed rearwards with either a concave mirror to the rear of each LED, or one concave mirror to the rear of two or more LEDs, collecting the light from the LEDs to form a forward projecting beam. LEDs may be high power types that require heatsinking. LED lamp may have a lens forward of each LED to collimate the radiation produced by the LEDs into a beam, where at least one lens has at least one aspheric curved surface. LED lamp may have a transparent reflective optic to collimate the radiation produced by each LED into a beam. For an inspection lamp, the LEDs typically have a peak wavelength of 395 to 415 nanometers for seeing the area being irradiated but not so visible as to overwhelm fluorescence of fluorescent materials to be detected. Other wavelengths may be used. LED inspection lamp has a combination of LEDs of different wavelengths or a combination of at least one LED and at least one other light source such that the lamp produces radiation suitable for detection of materials to be detected and adequately illuminates the area being irradiated. LED lamp has LEDs that produce a beam of suitable radiation with a width of 10 degrees or less without additional optics. LED inspection lamp has head attached to a flexible member, with head serving as heatsink for one or more high power LEDs. Current regulator circuits are also disclosed.

1. An LED inspection lamp, comprising: a) a head section that contains at least one light emitting diode that emits radiation, and contains at least one concave reflector, wherein the at least one light emitting diode is aimed rearwards towards the at least one concave reflector for receiving and collimating a majority of the rearwardly directed radiation into a beam, and b) a handle section such that the lamp can be hand held, wherein the at least one light emitting diode produces radiation that is suitable for causing fluorescence of visibly fluorescent materials. 
   
   
     2. The LED inspection lamp of  claim 1 , wherein each concave reflector is associated with a respective light emitting diode of the at least one light emitting diode. 
   
   
     3. The LED inspection lamp of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one light emitting diode is one light emitting diode and the at least one concave reflector is one concave reflector. 
   
   
     4. The LED inspection lamp of  claim 1 , further comprising a current regulator for regulating current to power the at least one LED. 
   
   
     5. The LED inspection lamp of  claim 3 , further comprising a current regulator for regulating current to power the at least one LED. 
   
   
     6. The LED inspection lamp of  claim 5 , wherein the current regulator is a switching regulator. 
   
   
     7. The lamp of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one LED has a peak wavelength in a range of 395 to 415 nanometers. 
   
   
     8. The lamp of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one LED has a peak wavelength of approximately 450 nanometers. 
   
   
     9. The lamp of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one LED has a peak wavelength in a range of 460 to 505 nanometers. 
   
   
     10. The lamp of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one LED has a peak wavelength below 395 nanometers. 
   
   
     11. An LED inspection lamp, comprising: at least one LED and a boost converter suitable for operating at least one LED in the lamp using a battery that has a voltage less than that required to operate the at least one LED, wherein the at least one LED produces radiation that is suitable for causing fluorescence of visibly fluorescent materials, and further comprising optical means to concentrate the radiation from the at least one LED into a collimated beam. 
   
   
     12. The LED inspection lamp of  claim 11 , wherein the optical means is a reflector. 
   
   
     13. The LED inspection lamp of  claim 11 , wherein the optical means is a transparent optic that uses total internal reflection for at least part of the collimation purposes. 
   
   
     14. The LED inspection lamp of  claim 11 , wherein the optical means comprises at least one lens. 
   
   
     15. The LED inspection lamp of  claim 11 , further comprising a current regulator. 
   
   
     16. The LED inspection lamp of  claim 15 , wherein the current regulator is a switching regulator. 
   
   
     17. An LED inspection lamp, comprising two or more LEDs that produce radiation that is suitable for causing fluorescence of fluorescent materials, and further comprising a transparent optic associated with each of the two or more LEDs to collimate the radiation into a beam, wherein the transparent optic uses total internal reflection for at least part of the collimation purposes. 
   
   
     18. The LED inspection lamp of  claim 17 , wherein any surface of the transparent optic associated with each of the two or more LEDs has a textured surface to act as a diffuser.